Sixty-six Kendall seniors recently had the opportunity to talk to professionals in the fields that interest them as part of Senior Interview Day at Kendall Junior/Senior High School. This event directly ties to the district’s mission of preparing students for life outside of school. Some of the professionals in attendance included tradesmen, media professionals, health care workers and law enforcement officials.
The students filled out a questionnaire to identify what careers they are interested in pursuing and then Kendall administration did their best to match each student with a professional in that field. Beginning in September, students began working with their Government and ELA teachers to prepare for their interviews by creating resumes, cover letters and thank you notes. Counselors worked with the students on how to dress for an interview and use appropriate body language and speech in the interview.
Senior Interview Day simulated what it would be like for the students to apply for a job in their field. Students submitted their resumes to the professionals prior to the interview. Some professionals had part-time jobs or internship opportunities available that they screened students for. The seniors had a chance to ask for career advice, have their questions about college or vocational training answered, and find out how to prepare for their intended career through opportunities such as part-time jobs, internships or volunteer work.
After the interview, the professionals completed a rubric for each student. Teachers shared the feedback from the rubric with students to help them improve their performance in the future.
The seniors completed the experience by writing their thank you notes to the professionals right after the interview. “The kids really look forward to this day,” said Principal Carol D’Agostino. She said the program has taken place at Kendall for at least 11 years.
Twenty-eight employers participated in the event this year, many of whom are Kendall alumni, too. Dr. Hannah Bushnell, a 2006 alumnus of Kendall and a psychiatry resident in Elmira, participated in Senior Interview Day as a professional for the first time. She had previously participated as a student when she was interested in becoming an actress. Bushnell is still working on her degree and hopes to work in a hospital with autistic children when she finishes her education.
When Bushnell went to Kendall, she participated in the Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES program, New Visions, to explore a career in the medical field and that helped spark her interest in pursuing a career in psychiatry. She also said her English classes helped her with writing reports in the medical field. Bushnell took physics and chemistry classes while at Kendall. She said that those classes challenged her, but they helped her because she had to prove herself, complete projects and learn to study.
Bushnell enjoyed participating in Senior Interview Day. “I was impressed that the students were prepared and able to answer my questions,” Bushnell said. “They had a real vision of their futures. I was also able to give them feedback on the experience, which is terrific, because how often do you actually receive that in an interview situation?”
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